ShareNASA seeks input on cryogenic hydrogen test facility
NASA’s Glenn Research Centre issued a request for information (RFI) calling stakeholders across industry, academia, and government agencies to assess the technical feasibility of a cryogenic hydrogen test facility
On January 23, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Glenn Research Centre issued a request for information (RFI) seeking input on the development of a test facility to advance hydrogen technology for aeronautic and transport applications.
Hydrogen is gaining in popularity as an energy carrier, with a growing global demand. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), governments’ investment in hydrogen technology research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) has been growing since 2016 [1]. Although progress has mostly occurred on the supply side, there are also promising results for end-use technologies, with several applications in industry and electricity generation reaching demonstration stage, as well as significant progress in transport applications, particularly in the shipping sector.
Since the 1950s, NASA has used cryogenic liquid hydrogen for its space program [2]. With over 70 years of experience handling both gaseous and liquid hydrogen, NASA has a wealth of knowledge and expertise in both hydrogen propulsion and storage, to support RD&D on hydrogen as a viable energy carrier for aeronautic and transport applications.
NASA has assembled a multi-centre team to better understand the needs and requirements for the development and operation of a Cryogenic Hydrogen Test Facility as a national capability supporting the implementation of new materials, components, and technologies. Such a test capability could allow the development of operational procedures for airport operations and also support the needs for the development of technologies for other hydrogen transportation applications. These needs may include testing at a range of scales, from material development and component characterization to full sized aircraft.
In its RFI, NASA requests information about hydrogen testing capabilities and resources to evaluate the status quo, gauge future needs, and identify any technical gaps that the agency could help fill. The RFI emphasizes the importance of standardised testing protocols, safety standards, and workforce training for handling cryogenic hydrogen.
NASA’s multi-centre team is only gathering information to inform future plans. The agency offers no promise of future funding, nor a request for proposal for either execution or implementation of such a test facility.
For more information, visit the official website of the RFI.
As of date of publication of this article, RFI call is still active.
Sources
[1] IEA (2024), Global Hydrogen Review 2024, IEA, Paris https://www.iea.org/reports/global-hydrogen-review-2024 , Licence: CC BY 4.0